Many patients with chronic pain find that it can affect their sense of optimism. They may feel trapped and hopeless and have a hard time feeling positive. Imagining a satisfying future may be difficult or impossible.

If you have sustained a physical injury or have an age or disease-related condition, you may feel angry, frustrated, and hopeless. This is completely understandable, and you are not alone.

Has a loved one or friend told you you're a grump? Do you have more negative thoughts than usual? Find out some of the shocking mental effects of chronic pain as well as causes and treatment options.

Effects of Chronic Pain

To most people, chronic pain is a constant distraction and source of misery that never goes away. The pain may let up now and then, but it never completely subsides. This can take a huge toll on a person's sense of well-being.

There are many negative cognitive effects of chronic pain. They may include difficulty concentrating, anxiety, depression, or irritability. A person in constant pain may feel stuck with no way out and have trouble with decision making.

Over time, chronic pain may wear a person down until they become withdrawn. They may become only a shadow of their former self. They may disengage from previous activities, give up on dreams and goals, or experience negative personality changes.

If left untreated, chronic pain can cause a devastating loss of quality of life. This could lead to permanent disability, a loss of self-esteem, and the onset of depression.

If you are experiencing anything like this, keep reading, because this article is for you. There is hope- because treatments are available to help you.

Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain usually falls under three categories: injury, degeneration/age, or disease. There may be other categories, but these are the top three.

Chronic pain can come from slipped discs, serious bone breaks, or neck injuries. Nerve damage, and sometimes even medical-procedure-related injuries, can lead to chronic pain.

Many times the source of chronic pain is musculoskeletal, but it could also be on the surface. For example, burns, tissue damage, and skin disorders are a frequent culprit.

Aging can lead to long-lasting conditions like arthritis or degenerative disc disease. Other ailments include osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, headache-inducing eye disorders, and neuropathy. Also, diabetes, fibromyalgia, cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and sciatica are common.

Cancers also cause chronic pain, either from the disease itself or from treatment side effects. Some chemotherapy treatments have caused nerve damage in patients, for example.

There are many different causes of chronic pain. The common denominator is that they are often difficult to fix.

Back Pain: A Common Cause of Depression

The back and spine are part of the body's core, so they often take the brunt of injuries. Damage in this area affects the rest of the body. Someone with a back injury may limp or hold themselves in a certain position to avoid feeling the pain.

Chronic back pain is one of the most common complaints reported by people of all ages and all walks of life. Some side effects of chronic back pain include missed work, high medical bills, weight gain due to lack of mobility, inability to enjoy a healthy sex life, and limited social activity.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is so common that around 31 million Americans experience back pain at any given time.

After a back injury or the onset of a degenerative disease, there's a high risk of lapsing into depression or anxiety. A person may find themselves unable to cope with growing feelings of irritability and anger.

Alternative Pain Management Options

Unfortunately, chronic pain can sometimes drive people to use illegal substances to find a bit of relief. But even legal medications can become addictive or result in more problems.

Since the side effects of pain relievers can sometimes be worse than the pain itself, people with chronic pain may try alternative management techniques. These include acupuncture, massage, music therapy, or biofeedback. Other options include hydrotherapy and traditional chiropractic treatments.

Harmful effects of pain relievers include brain fog, constipation, drowsiness, stomach damage, and addiction. It is also possible to build up a tolerance so that after a while nothing works to end the pain.

We want you to know options are still available. As pain management experts, we invite you to look over our full list of pain-relieving treatments. Decide which ones would make the most sense for you.

When To Seek Expert Help

The negative effect of pain on blood pressure is well documented. Research supports that chronic pain causes high blood pressure, which is dangerous and can lead to stroke or heart attack.

Along with the high rate of depression and anxiety amongst chronic pain sufferers, this creates a crisis. It is a powerful reason to consult experts for treatment options.

If you are experiencing chronic pain and are looking for relief, don't delay getting the help you need. Maybe you've tried to fix it by yourself and nothing is working. This means it's time to seek professional advice.

We offer everything from acupuncture treatments to chiropractic care and a variety of other treatments. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at the phone number listed on this page.

Don't give up your hopes and dreams because you are unable to function due to your pain! Chronic pain may be impossible to ignore, but this does not mean that you have to lose your happiness.

Did you know there are over 13,000 active CrossFit gyms?

Are you a member of one of those 13,000 gyms or considering joining one?

Well, whether you're already a CrossFitter, or thinking about getting started, we're going to cover the seven most common CrossFit injuries. Keep reading so you can know what to look out for!

1) Wrist Strain

One of the most common injuries in CrossFit happens to be a wrist injury. CrossFit workouts include a lot of weight lifting, and pretty much anything you do will include wrist action of some sort.

When you perform snap-focused movements like a clean and press, you are putting a lot of strain on your fragile wrists. You can prevent this kind of injury as simple as stretching and warming up sufficiently or even wrapping your wrists to secure them from injury.

When you're not at the CrossFit gym, you can work on grip strength to help relieve wrist impact in future workouts.

2) Lower Back Strain

CrossFit injuries are common because the movements like bending, lifting, flipping, and jumping put a massive strain on your body, especially when paired with heavyweights. One of the most common and sometimes most serious injuries involve the lower back.

CrossFit workouts sometimes experience pain and stress in their lower backs, and when this is the case, they should immediately stop training.

A back injury shouldn't be gambled with, and you should see a qualified sports trainer or doctor and listen to their recommendations before resuming your training.

Bad form is the number one culprit for back strains, typically from lifting way too much weight while using poor form.

Deadlifts are also a common suspect if you are experiencing back pain. When you start deadlifting, it's always a good idea to have a coach help perfect your form to ensure you'll avoid a back strain.

Stretching and warming up sufficiently before your workout is essential. You also need to remember to stretch out the surrounding muscles, not just your back. Muscles like your upper back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves will help relieve your back muscles while working out.

3) Tennis Elbow

Your elbow is easy to forget about but extremely important since you use it with almost any movement. Because the elbow is often forgotten when people start lifting, bending, and stretching during exercises, the elbows are at risk.

When you strain the joint from overuse of your elbows tendons and ligaments, you'll suffer from what's called tennis elbow.

Some people even suffer from this injury but don't experience pain, so taking precautions is vital. If you are experiencing this kind of pain or CrossFit injury, you should ice your elbows and rest as much as possible.

4) Anterior Knee Pain

The knees are extremely vulnerable in CrossFit gyms.

Knee pain is so common that most people brush it off and keep going on with their days. Knee pain is usually associated with overuse and strain, but it can also signal a more serious injury like a dislocation or tear.

If you are suffering knee pain, you should avoid high impact exercises that put a lot of pressure on your knees.

If you're suffering from slight pain or discomfort, you should ice your knees, lower physical impact, and stretch to keep your knee limber. If you continue to see swelling or more obvious disformity, you should see a professional.

5) Shoulder Injury

It's no surprise that the shoulders see CrossFit injuries. Your rotator cuff plays an essential role in all your arm, chest, and back exercises.

Since it's a ball-and-socket joint, CrossFit workouts put you at a higher risk for a shoulder injury than normal wear and tear.

The best way to avoid a shoulder injury like this is to strengthen the surrounding muscles that support the rotator cuff. You can target all deltoids with lightweight and higher repetitions.

6) Achilles Tendonitis

This is exactly what it sounds like. An injury involved the tendons and your Achilles heel.

You get Achilles tendonitis through overusing the tendon in the back of your heel. Your Achilles tendon attaches your calf muscle in the back of your leg to your heel. If you overuse and strain it, you'll experience pain, stiffness, swelling, and difficulty bending their feet.

The best way to prevent Achilles tendonitis is by wearing proper footwear, stretching your ankle sufficiently, and going to at least one reflexology session a month.

If you're experiencing pain in the bottom of your foot post-workout, instead of the back of your ankle, this could be plantar fasciitis.

7) Hernia

You've probably heard of a hernia, but do you know what it is or how it relates to a CrossFit and injuries?

If you strain during an exercise, you can cause abdominal stress, which leads to a piece of your intestine popping through your abdominal wall. The most common culprits for this kind of strain are deadlifts and squats.

You can prevent a hernia by strengthening your abdominals, obliques, and lower back. Like with the lower back injury, you should avoid lifting too much weight if you haven't perfected the form.

Often you'll notice others wearing weightlifting belts. These can provide a firm surface for your abdominal wall to safely push against during squats or deadlifts.

Do You Feel Informed About CrossFit Injuries?

You might'be noticed a trend that you should stretch and ice after every workout. This is a universal practice to help prevent CrossFit injuries and all other exercise-related injuries.

Taking care and listening to your body is essential to keep it going at peak performance.

If you think you are suffering from one of these injuries or have more questions, check out our locations and contact us today!

Have you ever experienced a sharp pain radiating from your lower back down your leg? Does it hurt when you're sitting, standing, or lying in bed trying to fall asleep?

There's a chance that what your experiencing is sciatica.

It's a medical condition characterized by long-lasting pain spreading down the lower body. If you think this may be the cause of your recent pain, keep reading!

Below is a quick guide to all things sciatica - the cause, sciatica symptoms to watch out for, and treatment options you can try.

No one deserves to live their life in pain! Find out how to fix sciatica pain now.

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is not a condition but it can be the sign of a condition. It is a form of pain that affects the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is a long nerve that runs across the right and left side of the body. It originates in the lower back and runs through the buttocks and down the leg. It ends at the top of the foot.

The sciatic nerve runs through both legs, but sciatica pain typically affects only one side of the body.

Up to 40% of people will experience sciatica during their lives making it one of the most common musculoskeletal issue. Many people mistake sciatica for generalized lower back pain, but the causes, symptoms, and treatment may be different.

What Causes Sciatica?

There are a few things that can cause sciatica but it's usually a result of irritation to the lower lumbar spine. The sciatic nerve can become compressed from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or a bone spur.

It can also happen to women during pregnancy or as a result of a muscle spasm in the area. Most of the time these are not preventable events, but there are a few factors that can increase your risk.

The risk of sciatica increases for people with diabetes and those who are overweight. Risk is also higher for smokers, people that do not exercise regularly, and individuals that have jobs that put stress on the back.

Diagnosing Sciatica

Unlike broken bones or viral infections, there is no test or procedure to confirm you have sciatica. Typically, a doctor will ask you a series of questions to determine whether the pain you have is sciatica.

You can sometimes self-diagnose sciatica at home from sciatic nerve symptoms. If you notice that the pain spreads from your lower back down through one of your legs or into your feet, it could be sciatic pain.

Some people describe the pain as very sharp and severe, but others say it is more of like a dull pain. The biggest difference between sciatica and general back pain is that the location spreads down your body.

If you experience severe symptoms like fever, numbness, or difficulty controlling your bladder, seek medical attention right away.

Sciatica Symptoms

The most notable symptom of sciatica is pain. Most people describe the pain as radiating or electric because it shoots from the lower back down the leg. Sciatica pain can sometimes even be felt in the feet.

Sciatic pain tends to increase when you sit or stand for long periods of time. If you are sitting in a car or at your desk, the pain may get worse as the day goes on. For some people, the pain comes and goes or changes in severity over the course of hours or days.

You may also experience tingling or a pins and needles sensation on one side of your body due to sciatica. You could notice sciatica symptoms in hip, buttocks, or lower leg regions.

If you are experiencing these symptoms you should contact your doctor or look for a pain specialist in your area.

Treating Sciatica

Luckily, sciatica can usually be treated without any complicated surgeries or medication routines. There are also lifestyle changes you can make to improve the pain from sciatica.

Below are a few of the most common treatments for sciatica.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy improves strength, flexibility, and range of motion. Physical therapy exercises can help relieve symptoms of sciatica, but it will take time. The more disciplined you are with following the therapist's instructions, the better the outcome.

Medication

To alleviate the pain from sciatica quickly, you can use anti-inflammatory drugs. Talk to your doctor before starting any new medication.

Massage Therapy

Who doesn't love a nice massage? In addition to being relaxing, deep tissue massage can relieve stress and tension from sciatica. It can also help relieve muscle spasms.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine using tiny needles. During acupuncture, your body releases endorphins which relax you. It can be used to help you relax and ease the tension that may be making the sciatica pain worse.

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENs)

TENs is a way of relieving pain while relaxing muscles and improving overall mobility. A doctor will attach patches to your skin around the areas where you are experiencing pain. Then, the patches stimulate an electrical current.

The electrical current works by interrupting the pain signal to the brain. Instead, you will feel a tingling sensation.

Lifestyle Changes

If you want to get rid of sciatica forever, the best thing you can do is to improve your overall lifestyle. If you are overweight and sedentary, improve your diet and exercise routine.

If sciatica was a result of an injury or overworking your body, consider resting or switching to a low-impact exercise for now.

If your job requires you to sit or stand for long periods of time, try to take frequent breaks. Buy comfortable shoes or an ergonomic chair for comfort.

Everyone Deserves to Live Pain-Free

Don't suffer from sciatica symptoms. With these treatment techniques, you can be back to your regular activities in no time.

Remember to listen to your body and don't push yourself when you are experiencing pain.

If you are interested in meeting with a pain doctor, contact us today for an appointment.

An electromyogram is a critical test if you want more information about your muscles and nerves' condition. It's a non-invasive test that can give you the answers you need if you have certain types of muscle symptoms as determined by your doctor.

Is your doctor suggesting you get an electromyogram? Find out everything you need to know about this test and how it evaluates your pain.

Why Get an EMG Test?

A physician will often order an electromyogram nerve conduction test if you present with any of the following symptoms:

• Unexplained pain or weakness in your limbs
• Tingling
• Cramping
• Involuntary muscle twitching
• Paralysis

An electromyogram evaluates muscle evaluates the condition of your muscles and, more importantly, your nerves. From problems with the muscles and joints to more serious diseases, an EMG can help determine some of the following medical conditions:

• Herniated discs compressing spinal nerves
• Bone spurs interrupting nerve pathways
• Spinal stenosis interfering with nerve root signaling
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, aka "Lou Gehrig's Disease") attacking nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord
• Myasthenia Gravis causing muscle fatigue and weakness on a cellular level
• Muscular Dystrophy leading to genetic mutations in the muscle cells
• Guillian-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that causes nerve degeneration

Any of these conditions can lead to lifelong pain, disability, and (in the case of ALS) death. One of the reasons why an EMG test is so important in the medical field is that it can help you understand whether a condition is structural or cellular.

Neurological conditions are a serious challenge for the medical field nationwide. An estimated 12 million adults will develop a neurodegenerative condition within the next 30 years.

EMG tests are key to early detection for many of the most severe neurological diseases. If you are suffering from any of the signs or symptoms listed above, an EMG test can give you the peace of mind you need or the knowledge you need to start preparing for your future care.

What Does an Electromyogram?

An EMG tests for electrical activity in both spinal and peripheral nerves. Nerves are like wires sending electrical signals throughout your body. Many of the functions that rely on nerve signals are "autonomic," meaning you don't have to do anything to make them happen; they just occur naturally.

All of your vital organs need nerve signals–not just your muscles. When a chronic condition hits you, even though it may show up in your muscles as pain, weakness, or tingling, the symptoms can point to a condition more serious existing at the neurological level.

Compared to grave conditions like ALS, carpal tunnel syndrome is relatively benign, but it can still be painful and interrupt your quality of life. Since all nerves carry electrical signals, an EMG can pinpoint exactly where there's a lack of activity.

An EMG can determine:

• Where a nerve is cut off or "pinched."
• How badly a nerve signal is interrupted
• If there is damage to the nerve, and if so, how severely

Knowing where there are "gaps" in nerve signals, or where nerve signaling may be lacking, can help doctors understand if your symptoms are part of a chronic condition or something that can be addressed by rehabilitation therapy, like chiropractic treatment.

The EMG Procedure

The EMG procedure is an invasive procedure that takes no more than 30 minutes in total.

Electromyogram EMG electrodes are placed at various spots on your body, depending on your symptoms. Often, the EMG electrodes are merely stuck to your skin's surface. If your neurologist wants to test deep within the muscle, he or she may opt for electrode needles.

It's not just a lack of signaling that an EMG tests, but also over-signaling. All-in-all, what your doctor is looking for is abnormal nerve signaling, which is a sign of nerve problems.

With the electrodes applied to your body, your physician will gauge the activity at rest. If muscles show abnormally high voltage signals when at rest, this can point to nerve dysfunction.

Your doctor will also give instructions on when to tighten certain muscles, depending on what's being tested. If the EMG reading shows abnormally low (or high) activity, it may signify a disorder.

Before and After the Procedure

Before your EMG, you may be asked to stop taking any prescription medication. You will be expected to arrive bathed with no lotions or moisturizers on your skin, as this type of product can interfere with the readings.

If you take blood-thinning medications or have hemophilia or another condition that would cause you to bleed excessively, you should let your physician know. Also, inform your physician if you wear a pacemaker or other electrical medical device.

After the procedure, you may experience mild soreness or bruising at the sites where needle electrodes were attached. Your neurologist will read your results and interpret them for you in a follow-up visit.

The Nerve Conduction Test

A separate but closely-related study is the nerve conduction test. Instead of passively measuring muscle output voltage, a nerve conduction test sends electrical signals to your muscles to test their reactivity.

How well and how fast do your muscles react to an external stimulus? Their reaction's overall quality is known as "conduction velocity," and it can yield just as much critical information on your muscle health as an EMG.

Determining Your Treatment

Diagnostic tests like the EMG and the nerve conduction test can help your doctor determine your best options for medical care. If your condition is more of a structural, musculoskeletal condition, you don't want to rush to conclusions about it being a chronic neurodegenerative disorder.

However, if you have a chronic condition and you decide to treat it as you would sciatica or a herniated disc, a thousand visit to the chiropractor will be useless. You may be setting yourself up for unreasonable expectations with physical rehab modalities.

Comprehensive Treatment

Having the most accurate information should be your top priority. An electromyogram can give you the answers you need to get the most appropriate care.

Contact us today to explore our comprehensive treatment options.